Rethink your walls.

What happens when you get that feeling that your house needs an update? Usually, it starts with spring cleaning. Chances are, you did that step a few months ago. If not, no judgment here. Neither did I. Now that we have been honest with each other, when spring cleaning season draws near, we humans often get the itch to redecorate.

You can try to fight it, but one way or another you’ll find yourself eyeing the walls of your home — because if the walls look good, the rest of the place will look good too, right? The easiest way to make your home and décor pop, is to breathe new life into your walls.

We all get that nagging voice in our head that screams “Let’s make over our house!” It may be nagging but, you must admit, it’s exciting too.

We might say something like, “I’m tired of that red wall color that we have on the living room wall” and then paint it gray. Maybe you have even said “I’m tired of all the walls in the whole house being white”, so you end up painting the walls a different shade of white. Yes, I really did that. The difference was imperceptible to the human eye.

If you have ever redecorated your home, then you know that it can be both exciting and stressful. But with the right planning (and a bit of help from professionals), this daunting project turns into an opportunity to make big changes most of us don’t even think about, like your walls. Want to start redecorating now? Here are some tips.

Tips for getting started on your next big wall redecorating adventure

1. Start small

If the idea of redoing your whole house sounds intimidating, just pick one room. Choose part of your house that inspires you. Ok, don’t change that one. The room that inspires you is already doing something right. Pick a room close by. I call this “design osmosis”. Essentially, you are building your dream home, one room at a time. You’ll love it. What does that next room need? It’s not a new piece of bric-a-brac. Even a vase of fresh flowers isn’t getting you that much closer to your dream home. The biggest change might just be the simplest. Your walls. They’ve been right in front of you the whole time. Changing your wall finishes will have the most dramatic effect on your home’s hominess. It’s also going to jumpstart your creative mind.

2. Choose your atmosphere

Are you modern? Rustic? Are you romantic? Farmhouse? Clean lines? However you see yourself (or would like to see yourself) is a design decision. Let’s take a popular one. Farmhouse. One of the most popular solutions to this is reclaimed wood or shiplap on the walls. I like these ideas but…time and place, right? Unless you live in a farmhouse, resist the urge to hang barn doors all over your house. You don’t need to make it look like a horse stable for the wealthiest horse ever. There are so many other options for your walls. A simple white plaster can give you that same “out in the country” feeling. The plaster can be a sandy texture or chalky, but the important thing is that it makes sense in your home. If you have an inviting wall texture, you might find that you can keep your rustic floors and it won’t feel heavy-handed. If this change still seems overwhelming, let me just add that in all my years of designing wall finishes, I have never seen anyone that was offended by a nice white wall. A white color palette is a great place to start being brave. Textured, glossy, opalescent. Make your walls memorable.

3. Build equity

I’m not just talking about money, although beautiful wall finishes do add value to your house. I’m talking about building the equity that matters most. Your joy. Do you think I’m overstating the importance of a wall finish? I don’t, really, with a straight face. This is your home we’re talking about. It should bring you joy. Make a space to create memories. Be proud of your home. Have friends over for dinner. Help your kids with their homework… or something fun instead. Put a rustic wall finish in that wine cellar that you love so much. Boost your productivity by surrounding your workspace with a plaster wall finish that reminds you just how important you are. Surround your fireplace with a wall finish. It can be modern or romantic or both. So, keep contributing to your retirement fund. But don’t forget to build that “equity of joy” now.

Rebuild your dream house with a new wall finish that brings your dream home to life
We’ve covered a lot of ground here, or maybe not. But here it is in a nutshell. Don’t underestimate the effect that a wall finish can have on your day-to-day. You can rebuild your dream house all at once, or you can redo your walls one space at a time. You don’t have to build a farmhouse to achieve a farmhouse atmosphere. Don’t forget to enjoy your home right now. Hire a pro wall finisher and you are one step closer to your dream home.

Also, we learned that spring cleaning is optional.